Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday she had "no way of knowing" if the woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault will appear before the panel Thursday as scheduled if outside legal counsel is present to question her, according to Fox News.
Feinstein's comments come hours after Politico reported that Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley contracted a female attorney to question Blasey Ford and scheduled a Friday vote on Kavanaugh's nomination.
"For Republicans to schedule a Friday vote on Brett Kavanaugh [on Tuesday], two days before Dr. Blasey Ford has had a chance to tell her story, is outrageous," Feinstein said in a statement. "First Republicans demanded Dr. Blasey Ford testify immediately. Now Republicans don't even need to hear her before they move ahead with a vote."
Grassley is refusing to reveal the name of the attorney despite a request by Blasey Ford's attorneys to "immediately" turn over the prosecutor's resume. Michael Bromwich, one of Blasey Ford's attorneys, also asked to meet with the lawyer and complained about Republicans hiring outside counsel.
Blasey Ford agreed to testify Thursday under certain conditions and told Grassley she wanted it to be "a fair setting that won't disrupt families and become a media TV show."
"In our view, the hiring of an unnamed 'experienced sex crimes prosecutor,' as Mr. [Mike] Davis described in his email, is contrary to the Majority's repeated emphasis on the need for the Senate and this Committee's members to fulfill their constitutional obligations," Bromwich wrote to Grassley on Monday night.
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